Top positive review

I have edited this review to keep up with my new review format, but the sentiments haven't changed!

CONSTRUCTIONLet's start with this: Is this of the same quality as a pro reflector? No. I am already feeling the rim starting to bend in places and ways it shouldn't, but I do not anticipate it breaking any time soon. The panels themselves are made of good quality material, and so far the case has withstood many travels! As one commenter helpfully pointed out, "the reflector folds up into a 16" diameter carrying case that is roughly 3.5" (but can be compressed to about one half that)".

FUNCTIONDoes this thing work like it should? Absolutely. As I mentioned it is made of good materials and has held up very well so far. I am a pro photographer, but never above a good deal - I am a big supporter of "the little guy". The versatility of this little reflector is excellent - you can use it for almost any situation, and I find myself switching from silver to gold to translucent within the same shoot, because we all know that changing an angle outdoors can completely change your lighting! Works quite nicely as a shoot-through if you have an assistant to hold it!

OVERALLWould I buy this again? Absolutely. The sheer quality of this reflector at the price paid, makes the "best bang for your buck" cliché almost bearable! Out of all of my photog friends, not one can pick this out as a budget reflector, and several have been converted. It has stood up to the test of time (see updates below), and that is all I can ask or expect.

Cheap.Works.Recommended.

**EDIT**

Almost a year, and PLENTY of shoots later, and this great piece of equipment is still going strong!!! I use this thing on most out door shoots which don't require off camera flash, and for portraits you can't go wrong! Highly recommended still! You can either order from Papa John's this week or get an excellent Reflector...your choice.

**EDIT 2**It has now been 23 months, and the only issue I have had is some loose threads from the hanging loop. I cut them off, burned them with a lighter to stop any future deterioration and so far I have had no issues. My initial worries about it bending in the wrong places have been totally wiped out - this thing is still going strong. Highly recommended!

Top critical review

This works perfectly for me I use it in almost every shoot! Great for bouncing studio light for an under eye highlight and its also great for bouncing sunlight in those harsh conditions. My only caveats are that the gold side can look rather unnatural and I wish they would make the gold more of a gold/silver tone to balance it out. I also wish that the black panel was actually a gray card which would be TREMENDOUSLY more useful than having a black panel. Which in my opinion seems like a wasted opportunity. All an all I think a reflector of this size is almost a must for any photographers kit. Two stars removed because of the unnatural gold tone so I almost never use that color, and the wasted black panel which i've NEVER had a reason to use.

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I have edited this review to keep up with my new review format, but the sentiments haven't changed!

CONSTRUCTIONLet's start with this: Is this of the same quality as a pro reflector? No. I am already feeling the rim starting to bend in places and ways it shouldn't, but I do not anticipate it breaking any time soon. The panels themselves are made of good quality material, and so far the case has withstood many travels! As one commenter helpfully pointed out, "the reflector folds up into a 16" diameter carrying case that is roughly 3.5" (but can be compressed to about one half that)".

FUNCTIONDoes this thing work like it should? Absolutely. As I mentioned it is made of good materials and has held up very well so far. I am a pro photographer, but never above a good deal - I am a big supporter of "the little guy". The versatility of this little reflector is excellent - you can use it for almost any situation, and I find myself switching from silver to gold to translucent within the same shoot, because we all know that changing an angle outdoors can completely change your lighting! Works quite nicely as a shoot-through if you have an assistant to hold it!

OVERALLWould I buy this again? Absolutely. The sheer quality of this reflector at the price paid, makes the "best bang for your buck" cliché almost bearable! Out of all of my photog friends, not one can pick this out as a budget reflector, and several have been converted. It has stood up to the test of time (see updates below), and that is all I can ask or expect.

Cheap.Works.Recommended.

**EDIT**

Almost a year, and PLENTY of shoots later, and this great piece of equipment is still going strong!!! I use this thing on most out door shoots which don't require off camera flash, and for portraits you can't go wrong! Highly recommended still! You can either order from Papa John's this week or get an excellent Reflector...your choice.

**EDIT 2**It has now been 23 months, and the only issue I have had is some loose threads from the hanging loop. I cut them off, burned them with a lighter to stop any future deterioration and so far I have had no issues. My initial worries about it bending in the wrong places have been totally wiped out - this thing is still going strong. Highly recommended!

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I am outdoor photographer and these shades are perfect to help me on a sunny day, they work brilliant under bright sun, i never thought as this could actually make my life this easy. I had watched videos to use this but didnt know it will be this good, value for money.

The material is really fine and the stitching is very neat, it has a small bag in which the 45" frame can be folded and kept, the wires around are very flexible can be twisted making it small in size and easy to carry, very rough and tough, i have travelled with it to my photoshoots and each time i open it , use it in sand, muds and otherwise leave it down on the mud, i have to just dust it and its as good as new. The durability is certainly not a concern as considering the money value to i had my doubts about how durable it will be, but actually its really strong and flexible, hence very easy to carry and no maintenance. The material of which its made is good quality and thick. As it can block the sun properly while shooting a image outdoor. Specially on beach you need it to monitor light proper and i was really happy using it. The gold reflection was really very good, bright and illuminating.I am certainly impressed with the product.Pros:1. The material used is very fine and good quality2. it can be fit into a small pouch making it very easy to carry3. Durable and needs no maintenance/care4. Has 5 shades with a zipper you can open the inner isde and have the reflector shades open5. The gold and silver material is really thick and good6. Blocks the sun/reflects the light properly7. It can be used for almost any light setup8. You can easily switch from gold, to sliver to translucent as you need it and its right there handy for youIts definitely a steel deal for the money the quality is impeccable and i intend to recommend it to my photographer friends aroundRare to get such good performing light reflector of such fine material at such low cost!It also has a loop both the cover and the reflector itself making it easy for you to hold it while using it.

Cons: Honestly non for now i could find and share as quality and performance wise this is beyond my expectations, my photos are really coming out very good i am happy with it.

Folding the Reflector:its very easy you have to hold it with your hands parallel and twist your hands in opposite direction, the ring will twist from center making a round inside the round and the frame will fold completely in 3 circles, just apply pressure when you are twisting the ring.

Sharing some images for you to see it yourself the size of the reflector and the small pouch in which it fits in, making it easy to carry.[...]

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It's definitely MORE than I expected for the price! I personally like the silver for reflecting the sunlight for outdoor portraits if it's cloudy (golden is awesome for blond models), the translucent to defuse the sun through it if it's too sunny, and the white as a reflector for the flash/speedlight for indoors. Light and easy to pack.

p.s. Another possible usage is as a portable backdrop. I used the golden one for one of the attached portraits as a creative backdrop.

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BUILD QUALITYLet's start with this: Is this of the same quality as a pro reflector? No. I am already feeling the rim starting to bend in places and ways it shouldn't, but I do not anticipate it breaking any time soon. The panels themselves are made of good quality material, and so far the case has withstood many travels! As one commenter helpfully pointed out, "the reflector folds up into a 16" diameter carrying case that is roughly 3.5" (but can be compressed to about one half that)".

PURPOSE/USEDoes this thing work like it should? Absolutely. As I mentioned it is made of good materials and has held up very well so far. I am a pro photographer, but never above a good deal - I am a big supporter of "the little guy". The versatility of this little reflector is excellent - you can use it for almost any situation, and I find myself switching from silver to gold to translucent within the same shoot, because we all know that changing an angle outdoors can completely change your lighting! Works quite nicely as a shoot-through if you have an assistant to hold it!

OVERALLWould I buy this again? Absolutely. The sheer quality of this reflector at the price paid, makes the "best bang for your buck" cliché almost bearable! Out of all of my photography friends, not one can pick this out as a budget reflector, and several have been converted. It has stood up to the test of time, and that is all I can ask or expect.

Cheap.Works.Recommended.

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This works perfectly for me I use it in almost every shoot! Great for bouncing studio light for an under eye highlight and its also great for bouncing sunlight in those harsh conditions. My only caveats are that the gold side can look rather unnatural and I wish they would make the gold more of a gold/silver tone to balance it out. I also wish that the black panel was actually a gray card which would be TREMENDOUSLY more useful than having a black panel. Which in my opinion seems like a wasted opportunity. All an all I think a reflector of this size is almost a must for any photographers kit. Two stars removed because of the unnatural gold tone so I almost never use that color, and the wasted black panel which i've NEVER had a reason to use.

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These are great reflectors for the price and were larger than I expected (they are 43" as advertised). I should have realized this from the pictures but it's important to realize you can only use one of these reflectors at a time as the filter is the only frame and the reflectors are just covers that zip over the frame. I really need black, translucent, and gold or white reflectors that I can combine in a single shoot. So, I will most likely keep these but will need to buy another set to give me the flexibility I need in shooting.

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This is a handy, very portable reflector system. It packs up into a surprisingly small zippered pack approx 16 in. diameter and 2 in. thick. It uncoils easily for use and feels well made and durable. It comes with a clever reversible cover that offers gold, silver, black, and white reflective surfaces. Without the cover it is a translucent white diffuser. Because of it's small size and light weight it will go with me everywhere I shoot.

Opening it is super easy. It pretty much springs open on it's own. Folding it takes a little practice, but once you get the technique it is pretty easy. You have to fold and twist at the same time to get the wire frame to coil. Then slip it in the handy pouch and you're good to go!

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I bought this kit to use to photograph a friend's wedding. It is well built and compact. Folding it up takes some practice. I used the gold reflector to light up the groom and bride while they were posing for portraits while wading in a river. I needed someone to hold/shine it to get rid of the shadows on the couple and to balance the harsh reflections from the water. It added a warm glow to the couple's skin and lit up her brunette hair with golden tones. I was impressed. I have not used it since, so I haven't played around with the silver, white or diffuser screens. But for the price I would recommend it to other amateur photographers to add to the kit and play around with.

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